Violent Twins Return

July 19, 2013

Two families struggling with drug addiction return! Get an update on Dan and Teresa, who admitted they were at their wits' end about how to discipline their 16-year-old identical twins Drew and Dallas, and Lane, a single mom who was abusing drugs. Plus, best-selling author Augusten Burroughs shares his journey toward sobriety.

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Drew and Dallas: Two Months Later

When Dan and Teresa first appeared on Dr. Phil, they sought help for their 16-year-old identical twins Drew and Dallas, who they said were destructive, dangerous and abusing drugs. The parents admitted they had lost control of their sons and feared that someone would end up seriously hurt — or dead — if they didn’t get help. Following the show, the couple agreed to send the boys to separate wilderness camps — and to attend therapy to work on their own issues.

Dan admits that for the first two weeks, he thought they had made a mistake by sending the boys away. “I didn’t have a lot of knowledge of where they were going, what they were going to go through,” he says. “Once I became more aware of what was going on, where they were, I felt a lot better about making the right choice.”

Dr. Phil asks the couple if they kept up their end of the deal by going to therapy and preparing for the twins’ return home, and Teresa says, “Absolutely” — yet she confesses that they’ve only seen their therapist once so far.

“Did you drag your feet in this?” Dr. Phil asks.

“No, not at all,” Teresa responds.

“We want you to be ready,” Dr. Phil tells the couple, adding that if they’re not prepared, it can jeopardize all the work their sons have done.

Watch the dramatic footage as the twins are surprised by professional transporters in the middle of the night.

Hear from Drew and Dallas at camp — how has this experience changed them?

Kristen Hayes, Director of Communications for Aspen Education Group, says that Drew and Dallas did a great job while in treatment, and she announces that they’re offering continuing care for the next 90 days to support the family through the boys' transition home.

Dr. Phil lists some of the conditions that the twins agreed to in order to return home: they’re not to use drugs or profanity and have to behave respectfully — and be treated with respect. He tells the teens that he’s proud of what they’ve accomplished. “You stepped up. You owned it, and you did it, and I am proud of both of you,” he says.

An Author’s Addiction Struggles

Augusten Burroughs, author of Running with Scissors and This is How: Help for the Self, joins Dr. Phil and opens up about his journey toward sobriety. He says he was 13 — younger than Drew and Dallas — when he began drinking and smoking pot. “Unfortunately, I didn’t have engaged parents,” he explains. “My mother was mentally ill, my father was an alcoholic … I didn’t have anybody to rein me in or guide me.” Many years later, he finally got sober — at age 30.

Augusten shares details of a traumatic event that he says caused him to relapse. Plus, learn the common triggers for relapse.

Life in the Fast Lane: Update

When Lane last met with Dr. Phil, she was a single mom struggling with drug addiction, and her family said she was neglecting her young son. Dr. Phil offered her a chance to get clean, and she agreed to go to Safe Harbor Treatment Center for Women in Costa Mesa, California.